Longitudinal changes in the accuracy of new group members' in-group and out-group stereotypes

The accuracy of sorority members' in-group and out-group stereotypes was examined during their Ist year of membership by comparing their perceptions of group stereotypicality and dispersion with full members' aggregated self-ratings. Participants more accurately judged in-group than out-group stereotypicality at every wave. Although stereotypicality overestimation decreased over time, the in-group/out-group difference did not change. In contrast, participants initially underestimated in-group more than out-group dispersion, but in-group judgments became more accurate, whereas out-group judgments became less accurate over time. Further, although participants judged the groups to be less variable and more negative over time, within-subject sensitivity correlations indicated increasing accuracy. The implications of these results for stereotype development and accuracy are discussed. (C) 2001 Academic Press.